The present invention relates generally to a vehicle taillight, preferably to a motor vehicle emergency taillight. More particularly, the taillight of the present invention includes a pulsing light source suspended in the vicinity of the reflector for a more complete and effective generation of an intensive light signal.
The art of emergency taillights for motor vehicles is well developed. In a typical taillight, a light source is used, for example a light bulb. It is usually located in the center of a round or oval housing equipped with a reflector. The position of the light source is preferably chosen to be at the focal point of the reflector. Upon energizing the light bulb generates an array of light rays which are reflected by the reflector to form a steady stream of light through a transparent light cover.
A variety of reflective surfaces have been disclosed in the prior art, including a stepped reflector. A number of reflective surfaces can be arranged over the back panel of the light to insure a uniform distribution of reflected light intensity and therefore a more attractive appearance of the taillight. The design of such emergency light allows for a more intense light to be visible under poor visibility.
Poor visibility conditions present a special challenge for safe driving in general, and for brake and emergency taillight designs in particular. Given the same light source, it has long been the objective of the taillight designers to maximize the light visibility, increase the brightness of the reflected light and increase the effectiveness of light generation.
Most known taillight designs have their light source rigidly fixed in place. The reflector is designed to maximize the light signal but there is an inherent limitation in its ability to do so due to the fact that not all surface of the reflector can direct the light towards its target. The problem is compounded by the fact that more than one person may have the need to see the taillight at the same time so the design has to be able to direct the high intensity light in various directions all at the same time. Light sources fixedly positioned relative to the reflector can not physically accomplish this objective. As a result, one driver may see the taillight of the car in front of him better than the driver next to him. This creates a potential for a safety concern especially on a high-speed road such as a highway and in poor visibility conditions such as during the rainfall or snowfall.
Attempts have been made to design a taillight with movable light source, movable reflector or combination thereof. Schamblin shows one possible design in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,732. It shows a flexible light panel supported by a resilient support member. The movement of the vehicle or the upcoming wind may cause the movement of the light panel and therefore redirect the light in various directions so that it is visible from a wider angle of view. Other designs showing the use of springs to support the light bulb are shown in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,678,266 and 3,300,636.
Rosenberg et al describes a more sophisticated version of such design in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,522. Disclosed is a resilient light source support element designed to oscillate the light source during the motion of the vehicle. In addition, the reflector may also be mounted on a resilient support member so that the dispersion of light is further intensified.
The inherent limitation of devices in the prior art is in the fact that they all require a source of external vibrations in order to create the flickering light effect. If the vehicle is moving slowly or even not moving at all, the flickering of the light ceases. The need exists therefore for an emergency taillight capable of projecting a high intensity light over a wide view angle under all conditions of use including the absence of vehicle movement and subsequent external vibrations as the only source of flickering for the taillight.